PC Training & Consulting Weblog

New Version of Electronic Slavery

July 15, 2004

Chip Implanted in Mexico Judicial Workers By Will Weissert, AP Writer

MEXICO CITY -- Security has reached the subcutaneous level for Mexico's attorney general and at least 160 people in his office—they have been implanted with microchips that get them access to secure areas of their headquarters.
It's a pioneering application of a technology that is widely used in animals but not in humans. ...

In addition to the chips sold to the Mexican government, more than 1,000 Mexicans have implanted them for medical reasons, Aceves said. Hospital officials can use a scanning device to download a chip's serial number, which they then use to access a patient's blood type, name and other information on a computer. ...

The chip originally was developed to track livestock and wildlife and to let pet owners identify runaway animals. The technology was created by Digital Angel Corp., which was acquired by Applied Digital Solutions in 1999.

Because the Applied Digital chips cannot be easily removed—and are housed in glass capsules designed to break and be unusable if taken out—they could be even more popular someday if they eventually can incorporate locator capabilities. Already, global positioning system chips have become common accouterments on jewelry or clothing in Mexico.